Trump: “I Don’t Like What Putin Is Doing”

President Donald Trump expressed clear disapproval of Russian President Vladimir Putin following an unprecedented wave of Russian airstrikes on Ukraine, signaling a shift in tone from his historically warmer stance toward the Kremlin leader.

“I’m not happy with what President Vladimir Putin is doing. I don’t know what’s going on with him,” Trump told reporters in New Jersey on May 25.

Trump, who has long touted his familiarity and generally positive relationship with Putin, offered unusually blunt criticism. “He’s launching missiles into cities and killing people. I absolutely don’t like that at all,” the U.S. President said.

Trump added that he is “certainly” considering additional sanctions on Russia in a renewed effort to push Moscow toward peace negotiations with Ukraine. The statement notably diverges from comments made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a recent congressional hearing, where Rubio cautioned that “any threat of sanctions right now will only push Russia away from talks.” The Kremlin has not yet responded publicly.

On May 25, Russia launched its largest aerial assault on Ukraine to date, firing 69 missiles and deploying 298 kamikaze drones and decoys. Ukrainian officials claimed to have intercepted 47 of the missiles and 266 drones. The barrage killed at least 13 civilians, including two children, according to Ukrainian authorities.

“Unless there is real pressure on the Russian leadership, this war won’t end,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on social media following the attack.

Though Trump has previously expressed admiration for Putin, his tone has shifted in recent weeks amid Russia’s hardline stance and the collapse of ceasefire negotiations.

After a two-hour phone call with Putin on May 19, Trump announced that both Russia and Ukraine would “immediately begin negotiations aimed at a ceasefire agreement.” However, the Kremlin has not committed to a halt in hostilities, instead stating it is willing to discuss “a memorandum outlining positions for a possible future peace agreement.”

Both sides have escalated drone and missile strikes in recent days. Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported intercepting 764 aerial targets between May 20 and 23, while the Russian Defense Ministry noted that Ukrainian drone attacks over the weekend continued at scale, with hundreds more UAVs shot down.

(Sources: AFP, RT)